Book Review: Mansa Musa and the empire of Mali

Oliver’s
debut, about one of West Africa’s most powerful and charismatic leaders,
delivers a vibrant mix of history and historical fiction for young adults,
which is equally fascinating for older readers. This well-researched biography
of Mansa Musa reads like an adventure story of gold and glory. During his long
reign as Mali’s emperor, Mansa Musa led his empire into its Golden Age;
presided over a spectacular, 60,000 person, 9,000 mile pilgrimage; founded a
university in Timbuktu; and helped revolutionize architecture across the Sudan.
Many of the African ancestors of today’s African-Americans came from West
Africa. From 700 -- 1600 A. D., one after the other, three great, black,
commercial empires dominated West Africa. They were powerful, prosperous, complex,
stable -- and large. At its height, the Empire of Mali was the size of all of
Western Europe.

The
book introduces the medieval empire of Mali with several short narrative essays
on trans-Atlantic exploration, trade and mining and soon narrows its focus to
the compelling life story of the emperor Mansa Musa, who ruled Mali in the
early 1300s. Oliver shows how Musa gained influence while making a lavish,
politically important trip to Mecca, and his deft explanation of how Musa
crossed the vast Sahara Desert briefly but skilfully conveys the difficulty of
the lengthy voyage. This enjoyable work smoothly blends historical text with
memorable anecdotes from primary and secondary sources, photos and sketches of
replicas of ancient and medieval African art, and well-drawn maps.

The
book moves at a fast pace, and the author’s clear, straightforward style is
easy to read. He easily switches between topics, discussing history (how Musa
gained recognition in Egypt and North Africa), religion (how Islam shaped Musa
and his empire), architecture (the methods of construction for Malian mud-brick
buildings) and fables (the legend of the Malian “gold plant”). However, Oliver
always strives for historical accuracy; even his fictional account of a young
sandal maker who travels to Niani’s great market contains period-appropriate
language and scenery. The book also includes a lengthy glossary that is amply
illustrated with drawings and photographs of West African boats and buildings.
The work’s one shortcoming is its abrupt ending after Musa returns home; it
lacks a thorough explanation as to how and why the empire of Mali eventually
dissolved.

Well-crafted
and fast paced, Oliver’s book is enhanced by a liberal sprinkling of enjoyable
drawings, clear and helpful maps, and interesting photos. Not only are Mansa
Musa’s triumphs and dilemmas clearly portrayed, but so are the lives of the
people of medieval Mali. This is a thoughtful, engaging history for all
students interested in Africa.